Ashes
by Merlinfan26
Summary: Set in season 2. Merlin is burned at the stake after saving Arthur's life with magic. Arthur is furious and plots a way to avenge Merlin's death, to make his father pay. Rated T for some language and semi graphic description.


**I just can't help myself!Oh and Morgana is good in this story  
**

**Prologue **

Arthur stared in horror, through the bars of his cell, as he watched Merlin being tied to a stake. His father had wanted to force Arthur to witness his servant's execution, but Arthur wouldn't hold still. He had even tried to free Merlin, which got him thrown in the same cell as Merlin was dragged out.

The last words Merlin spoke to him were

"It'll be all right, Arthur. Everything will be all right."

But everything was far from all right.

Hot tears rolled freely down Arthur's cheeks as he watched his father start the execution process.

"This boy is a sorcerer!" Boos were heard in the audience. Arthur searched for kind faces. There was Gaius in the distance, next to Gwen. And good, sweet, Guinevere was gripping the old man's hand tightly.

Arthur saw the failed look on Gaius's face. He knew that look all too well, for he saw it often in the mirror.

"You didn't fail Merlin, Gaius," he whispered. "I did."

He continued to listen to his father with hatred that coiled inside of him, deep, and filled with poison; like a snake.

"Yes, the boy served as my son's manservant loyally for years. Yes, he used magic to save my son's life. So why is he being condemned, some might ask? Because he is deceptive. _He deceived us all_, and to have such powers, and to be _that _deceptive, makes him most dangerous and vile indeed."

More angry rose, a tornado of fury inside of Arthur.

Vile? Merlin was many things but he was _not _vile...and Arthur doubted he was dangerous, though he now knew how much Merlin could be-if he had wanted to.

This was what puzzled him. Merlin was tied there, he could easily escape. And yet his head was bowed..

"Why don't you free yourself, damn it?" Arthur whispered, bitterness buried in there.

He saw Morgana from her window, staring down in shamed horror, and disgust. She had refused to come down, to participate.

Uther was most unhappy about that.

Arthur almost smiled at that thought.

He realized then that he had never truly hated his father more than he did right that very minute.

"Damn you," he hissed, as he stared at the King. "He's not the dangerous one,_you are_. And he saved my life."

He didn't bother to shout it. Uther wouldn't have heard him. And even if he did, he would have ignored him.

Arthur's mind temporarily flashed back to the reveal.

_Cenred and his men had overtaken the Castle. Cenred had his sword placed on Uther's throat, demanding surrender. Uther had refused. That was when Cenred had placed his sword on Arthur's neck instead.  
_

_Things had happened so fast._

_The knights were fighting against their captors. Cenred had risen his sword, while Arthur had closed his eyes._

_Uther had screamed his son's name._

_The sword from Cenred's grasp was thrown across the room._

_Gasps were heard everywhere._

_"He has magic!" One of Cenred's men had shouted, while he pointed at Merlin._

_All stared. So did Arthur, but he had refused to believe.  
_

_"Surely there's some other explanation."_

_"No." Uther spoke in a dark voice. A dark voice that made Arthur shiver. "I saw it too...your manservant is a sorcerer."_

_It was thanks to Merlin's friendship with the druid people that Camelot was restored. It was that moment that the druids had come to save them._

_Apparently Merlin had promised things would be different for them, once Arthur was king._

_And they still had no idea. It wasn't until they had left did Uther condemn Merlin to die in such a fit of rage that the kingdom had never witnessed before. In fact, he had even ordered one of the guards to beat Merlin until Arthur had begged him to stop._

While Arthur had been hurt that Merlin had kept this a secret, even though he had understood why, his mind replaced the scene with the sword.

_He was so close to death. So close to that cutting edge._

_It was Merlin who had saved him. And how may countless times did his manservant had probably saved him in the past?_

_It had always been Merlin._

More hatred clouded Arthur's eyes at the memory.

So this was the thanks for saving the Prince of Camelot.

Being burned at the stake.

It was now time. His father was done talking about treachery, evils of magic, deception, and betrayal.

He watched Merlin's nonchalant face intensely.

How could he be so calm about everything? So unphased, and accepting? The only thing besides that, that Arthur saw, was deep ridden exhaustion.

The exhaustion was there for the world to see.

"May the Gods have mercy on your soul," Uther Pendragon then told Merlin curtly.

It was then that Arthur saw a flash of a different emotion.

It wasn't anger, or fear, or even remorse. It was...pity.

"No." Merlin's voice was soft. The audience strained to hear. "May they have mercy on yours."

Arthur's eyes widened and glanced at his father, who's face thundered a deep shade of purple.

Uther nodded to the executioner, who then placed the fire on the pyre. Cheers by sick people ripped through the crowd.

"Burn, sorcerer! Burn!" One screamed.

Arthur had screamed too.

A different, deep inside his belly kind of scream.

"NO!"

He was sure no one would hear him. Everyone else was too loud.

After all, no one had heard Gwen begging them to stop, while being held by Leon as Gaius's knees buckled when he had hit the ground.

But one person did hear his scream.

Arthur's eyes were still fixated on his only friend, and soon Merlin's was fixated on his as well.

Merlin stared at Arthur, and Arthur stared back.

"_I'm sorry_," he mouthed-with tears rolling down his cheeks still- to Merlin, and Merlin nodded.

"_It's all right_," he then mouthed back

No, thought Arthur, It's not.

The fires cackled, and rose above the people, and the voices.

Arthur continued to lock his gaze on Merlin, never once letting go of it. He saw a peaceful boy there, ready to go with honor and dignity. There was no fear in his eyes.

Arthur still didn't understand that.

He felt afraid, so very afraid.

They continued to stare, so they could speak their unspoken language one last time.

Merlin was trying to tell Arthur to let him go.

Arthur was saying that was impossible.

The flames began to hide Merlin's face. Arthur could hear the boy coughing, and felt sick.

And then he heard it.

One single shrill scream as Merlin's head was flung up and the flames engulfed him.

That was all there was, one scream.

That scream was enough to tear Arthur apart.

He stood there, shaking, his hands gripping the bars too tightly. But he didn't notice.

All he noticed was the smoke.

And then the charred skeleton that came after it.

He had also heard Gwen's shriek,and gasps from the villagers, as they saw the remains of Merlin-the Prince's most trusted manservant.

Merlin, the most loyal of them all.

Merlin.

Merlin.

Arthur kept on repeating the name in his head as he stared at the remains.

His Merlin was gone, and it was all his fault.

And so he stood there, stony and dark, as the villagers moved on. His father glanced over at the cell, then, and smiled.

Merlin had just been burned _alive _and he had goddamned _smiled_.

Arthur stared back at him, cold and deadly-his eyes filled with promise of revenge, of remembering.

He then glanced back at the charred skeleton of his best friend.

Oh yes, he would remember.

And he would make his father pay.

He would make them all pay.

* * *

The druids huddled around in a circle as rumors in the wind began to appear.

Rumors of Emyrs meeting his demise early.

And so they murmured as the rumors grew.

They murmured of a plan to bring back the greatest sorcerer, before it was too late and all was in despair.

**I hope it's okay?**


End file.
